Identity theft

A perfect article has been posted in the SEO Blog about common identity theft issues. Identity theft is the unsanctioned use of another persons identity, usually for financial gain or to commit a crime. Identity theft is one of the most serious threats to the modern-day economy. It not only places an entire Internet infrastucutre at risk, but it also affects non-Net users.

ID theft is, according to FTC figures, the most popular and fastest growing form of consumer fraud. Over 2004, the FTC reported ID thieves took over $100 million from financial institutions, or an average of $6,767 per incident. For individual consumers, the numbers are even more staggering. As reported by Janet Wu of by Boston television station WCVB-TV, money stolen through identity theft amounted to over $50 billion in the United States last year. In other words, nearly $200 per US citizen was somehow stolen due to identity theft.

The first thing to know is how identity thieves acquire your personal information. They may obtain identity information through compromising the corporate network of businesses and government institutions. They may also steal a person’s identity information by attacking her personal computer. They may also steal your wallet or purse.

To secure identity information, business and government institutions as well as individuals should take measures to actively protect their personal data. Identity theft is a problem that is not going to go away soon. That is why it is essential for consumers to be aware of the ways their personal data is collected and managed.

This entry was posted
on Sunday, October 16th, 2005 at 10:21 am and is filed under Uncategorized.
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